& r y u

“I’m sure we could do it,” he noted decidedly. Mitch had always been extremely goal-oriented. Once he had something in his head it was practically impossible to get it out unless it was done. He could plan their wedding in a day, but he wanted to do this together. "Well shit, guess there goes eighty-percent of my plans,” he sighed dramatically, pulling him closer. “October – twentieth. Gives us about a month and a few days to get everything ready. ”I can hire a wedding planner to cover the basics and we’ll spend the afternoon looking at venues. Cool ? ”

"I know we can, babe.” Derek promises, leaning over to kiss the side of Mitch’s head. “There will be nothing tacky or themed about our wedding.” He teases back, rolling his eyes. “Deal.. We can have the reception at the hotel up in Atlanta, obviously. I’ll invite my family, but I’ll doubt they’ll come.” There’s a tinge of sadness with Derek’s words, but he shrugs it off, squeezing his fiance’s hand lightly. “The twentieth it is then.” 

“For the one vodka soda, seven dollars. The second one can be on me if you toss me a genuine smile and promise to not hold the wait against me,” The brunette offered with the quickest of laughs, trying to lighten his clearly agitated mood. 

Pulling a ten from his wallet, he offers it out to Jessica, raising a brow in her direction. “How about you keep the change and don’t tell me to smile?”

Gyda smiled, “that’s good to hear for sure.” Her brows raising as he spoke of the wedding. “Have fun with that. Please don’t pull your hair out and also… wedding planner. Definitely get one. I was dumb for not having one.” She chuckled. “I have to admit we’ve learned to love weddings now that we don’t have to worry about one though.” 

"Money obviously isn’t an issue between the two of us, so whatever Mitch wants, he’ll get.” Derek replies, laughing softly. “We’re practically already married already if you think about it. But I’m excited to make it official.”

Jessica sees the stern expression on his face, but she merely returns it with her own warm smile. “A vodka soda, you got it. Is this going to be an open tab or do you just want me to charge the drink?”

"Just the one is fine.” Derek replies, reaching for his wallet so he can pay. “How much do I owe you?”

Business at the 21st amendment was booming like always and the one thing Jessica tried to keep her focus on was the amount of drink orders she had gotten, trying her hardest to keep up with all of them. With one customer down, she shuffles over towards the next person who seemed to be signaling for her attention. “I’m sorry – what?” The brunette questions over the sound of music and the other surrounding voices, her body leaning closer to the patron who was speaking to her. 

If there was one thing Derek didn’t like, it was bad service. He had been trying to get the bartender’s attention for what felt like forever now, lips pursing when she finally seems to notice him. “A vodka soda. Please.”

“Two months, give or take,” he affirmed, wrapping his arms around the other man’s neck. “I think with the right help and a can-do attitude, we could do it.” A smile spread across his lips at the thought of finally taking Derek’s last name, a worthy success if he’d ever seen one. “Oh, so, I’m walking down the aisle ? ” He prodded his side with a single digit. “I’ve been waiting to be your husband since the day I met you, dude.”

"It’s practically September.” Derek points out, brushing some hair out of his fiance’s face. “October then. Though I refuse to have a Halloween wedding, so pick another date.” He says half seriously, half teasingly, growing more excited at the thought now that them getting married was becoming more of a reality. “Mm, we can figure out the logistics of who is walking where later. “

“I just wanna make sure we’re on the same page,” he remarked, lacing his fingers with the others’. “How would you feel about doin’ it this year ? We have the money. I can take the time off work,” he offered, tilting his head. “October. I kinda like the idea of a Fall wedding.”

"October as in, next month?” Derek asks, looking back at his fiance. “You think we can plan a wedding in a month? Money’s no object, obviously. We deserve the best.” He hums, stealing a kiss from his fiance’s lips. “You wanna be a Ryu that bad, hm?”

Gyda nodded, “good, I’ll try to install a filter again while I figure out what I want.” She chuckled and nodded, “yeah, tell me what’s going on with you? I don’t wanna talk about me anymore.” She laughed, shaking her head and knowing she had done enough of that already.

"Not too much. Just living the life with Mitch and Duke.” Derek replies, laughing softly. “We’re gonna start wedding planning soon, I think. So that’s exciting.”

“I do,” he hummed, running his hands through his hair before the thought perched itself at the front. Standing, he offered a hand to the other, lacing his fingers with his. “Deal – speaking of ‘I do’,” he mused with a smile. “Have we decided on a date yet ? ”

Taking Mitch’s hand, Derek smiles, giving his fingers a gentle squeeze. Humming at the mention of a wedding date, he shakes his head, looking back at his fiance. “I don’t think so. Unless you’ve come up with a date you like and haven’t mentioned it yet.” 

Gyda nodded, “I know… it’s just kind of harder with a kid whose first language isn’t English. She’s learned with leaps and bounds but I don’t… I don’t want her to be treated different because people can’t understand her.” She shrugged, “a daycare wouldn’t be ideal right now.” She shrugged, “I feel a little bad for just throwing that on you, but I just saw an opportunity.” She sighed, “I hope I didn’t ruin your plans to have dinner with me.” She chuckled. 

"Considering we haven’t even ordered yet, I think we’re fine.” Derek jokes, chuckling quietly. He wasn’t that insulted Gyda had asked him for help. He got it a lot, though he rarely agreed to it. “Enough shop talk then. We can talk about something else.” 

“Worst role model ever,” he smiled, nipping at his bottom lip in response. “I am pretty hungry, though. Rain check ? ”

"But you love me anyways.” Derek teases, smirking against Mitch’s lips. “Mm, fine. But I get to have you for dessert then. Deal?”

Gyda nodded, “I just hate not working but someone has to be around for Hana.” She smiled, “I’ll owe you a lot, Derek and I promise I’ll pay back for helping me. I’m sorry to just bring it up like this though. I’m just… I don’t want to be stuck in the house anymore,” she chuckled.

"You can work and still be a mom. The two things aren’t mutually exclusive.” Derek points out, raising a brow over at Gyda. “No need to pay me back. You’re my friend.”